News

As we celebrate World Trade Month, CRA President and CEO John Bode issued the following statement in support of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, which includes 40% of the corn refining industry’s exports.

“Demand in the Asia-Pacific region is increasing, which presents new opportunities for U.S. corn refiners and allied farmers and employees. The TPP will allow for our industry to more easily meet the needs of new and current customers by providing us an even playing field with a reduction in tariffs and fairer trade rules.

The benefits the TPP will bring to the U.S. economy go well beyond opening-up market access via tariff reductions and expansion of quotas for corn sweeteners and starches. The agreement will establish strong, enforceable rules for investment, prevent TPP member countries from using non-science-based import barriers and, for the first time in a U.S. free trade agreement, include provisions on agriculture biotechnology.

With each day that Congress holds on passing the TPP agreement, U.S. businesses, farmers and workers lose out to competitor countries, such as China, in the Asia-Pacific region. The U.S. corn refining industry calls on Congress to pass TPP.”

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The Corn Refiners Association (CRA) is the national trade association representing the corn refining industry of the United States. CRA and its predecessors have served this important segment of American agribusiness since 1913. Corn refiners manufacture sweeteners, ethanol, starch, bioproducts, corn oil and feed products from corn components such as starch, oil, protein and fiber.